The last three SSU Wine Sense Club meetings have been packed to overflowing with an average of 50 Millennials attending each tasting. Special thanks to all of the Sonoma County wineries who have participated in these educational events.

Kendall Jackson was kind enough to provide a “fermentation style seminar” with Brian Cronin, MS and Jann Cotter. The session included tastings of 5 chardonnays crafted in different styles: 1) fermented in stainless steel with no malolactic fermentation, 2) fermented in stainless with malo, 3) fermented and aged in neutral oak, 4) fermented and aged in French oak, and 5) fermented and aged in American oak. Though all 5 styles received votes the favorite of most Millennials in attendance was chardonnay fermented and aged in French oak.

Mazzocco and deLorimier Wineries also conducted a tasting this month with their fabulous zinfandels, cabernets and one chardonnay. Chef Giana prepared all of the food for the evening, including Roasted Tomato and Garlic Dipping Sauce with French Bread, Curry Chicken Salad, a variety of local cheeses, and Tempranillo Blackberry Brownies. Favorite wines of the evening were the Mazzocco 2009 Smith Orchard Zinfandel and the deLorimier 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon.

Stryker-Sonoma and Selby Wineries were kind enough to conduct an educational tasting the week before Thanksgiving. Traditional fare of turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie were paired with chardonnay and lighter reds from Selby and the powerhouse cabs from Stryker. Favorite wines of the evening were Selby 2010 Sonoma County Sauvignon Blanc and Stryker Sonoma 2004 Monte Rosso Cabernet.